Horace Junior Kramer

HORACE JUNIOR KRAMER, 94, died at Vancrest Health Care Center in Eaton, Ohio on July 8th, 2018. He was born on September 19th, 1923 at the family farm in Preble County. He was the son of the late Horace W. and Ida Celeste Pence Kramer. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and brother, and was devoted to his family and friends. He lived his entire life in Preble County and graduated from Eaton High School in 1942. During World War II he was an Army Air Corps flight instructor for fighter pilots. After the war he was transferred to the Ohio Air National Guard as a 1st Lt. where he was a Group Survival Training Commander. He retired from the Guard with an Honorable Discharge and after surviving a plane crash became a member of the Caterpillar Club. For almost 70 years he was an active auctioneer in Ohio and Indiana, starting in 1948 after Graduating from Reppert Auctioneer School, then joining LG Reitz in 1950 as Reitz and Kramer Auctioneers. In 1978, he and his son John formed Kramer and Kramer, Inc. Auctioneers & Realtors and he went to the office daily. JR was inducted into the Ohio Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame in 1997; He sold the Preble & Montgomery County 4-H Livestock Sale of Champions, Producers Livestock Barn and Snyder Auction House and conducted over 10,000 Auctions during his career. He was a member of the Eaton United Methodist Church; Eaton Country Club; Ohio, Indiana and National Auctioneers Associations; Dayton & National Board of Board of Realtors; Caterpillar Club; Preble County Fair Board; 4-H Council; Preble County Farm Bureau and was Past President of American Legion Post 215 and Eaton Little League. JR was an avid golfer enjoying the friendship of his many golf companions. He lived for his family and the auction profession, enjoyed visiting the public and his auction attendees and found comfort writing stories about his life’s experiences and agriculturally oriented life. He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Marian Ewing Kramer, 3 brothers, Stanley, Ralph and Willard (Jean) and 2 sisters, Marian (Ray) Volkerding and Anna May (James) Eyler. Survivors include his daughter, Belinda (Don) Marsh of Atlanta, GA; a son, H. John (Debbie) Kramer of Eaton; five granddaughters, Kristen Marsh (Shad) Fleeman and Amy Marsh (Neal) Reeves both of Atlanta, GA, Sunny Kramer (Chris) Crotts of Dallas, Texas, Tiffany Kramer of San Francisco, CA, Megan Kramer of Cincinnati, eight great-grandchildren, siblings Nancy (Jack) Line, Wally (Sharon) Kramer, Rosalie (Jay) Unger, Carolyn (Paul) Gatzek, and a host of nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M., Saturday, July 14th, 2018 at the Eaton United Methodist Church, 120 North Maple Street, Eaton, OH 45320 with Rev. Dr. Beth Vieira officiating and Pastor Chris Farmer assisting. Viewing will be on Friday, July 13th, 2018 from 4 to 8 PM at Eaton United Methodist Church. Girton Schmidt and Boucher Gard Funeral Home, 226 West Main Street, Eaton, OH is assisting the family with arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to the church bell restoration fund. Online condolences and other remembrances may be sent to the family by visiting www.gsbfuneralhome.com.